Packer for wells



N. T. BREAUX PACKER FOR WELLS June 17, 1952 '5 sheets-sheet 1 Filed July 16, 1948 ,illxlzllr 321 al 2 lll 2 .o 23

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PACKER FOR WELLS Filed July 16, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W Q w w g Q 95 M Afwgw/ N N NN b 01 6 INVENToR. Q BY mi f W Fm. 5 my N. T. BREAUX PACKER FOR WELLS `lune 17, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 16, 1948 JNVENTOR. T.' @uw Patented June 17, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKER FOR WELLS Neil T. Breaux, Houston, Tex.

Application July 16, 1948, Serial No. 39,081 f (Cl. 16B-l2) 6 Claims. l This invention :relates to a packer for wells. An object ofthe invention is to provide a packer of the character described specially designed for use in forming a seal between the outer wellcasing and an inner producing string of tubing and which embodies novel meansl for expanding the packer to form an effective seal between the casing and tubing.v

The type of packer herein described is also very effectivein carrying onA what is commonly known as a squeezing operation, that is for forcing cement out through perforations in the casing to seal oil water or gasfrom the producing strata.

The type of packer assembly herein described may be readily set at any selected point in the casing by anv upward pull on the tubing and also readily released by an appropriate manipulation and upward pull on the tubing and the construction is such thattheassembly may be readily released and reset at an upper or a lower elevation and is consequently very useful in testing the casing for leaks.

The packer assembly may, if desired, be reversed, end forl end, in position in the well and will operate effectively in reverse position,

It is a further object of the invention to provide equipment of the character described wherein the operating string and packer body may be removed in case the packer assembly becomes stuck in the well.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification which is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of thev assembly showing the packer collapsed and being lowered into the well casing.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the packer set, or expanded.

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing they assembly in released position for withdrawalV of the assembly and the equipment beneath fromthe well.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary, elevational View of the inner tubular section of the packer body.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the operating string in position to be released', from the packer assembly, and from the=equipment beneath, and withdrawn from the well, in case said assembly becomesr stuck in the well.

'Referring now more particularly-to the draw- 'ings'wherein like numerals of reference desig- `2 nate the same. parts in each of the gures, the numeral I designates the innersection ofi the packer body and telescopediiover the lower end of said' inner section there is the outer tubular sectionla of said packer body.

The inner' tubularsection `I may beccnnected to the operatingstringZ above by--meansA o'f' a reducing coupling 3 whose upper' endis` threaded onto said string and Whose lower end is threaded onto the upper end of the inner section I of the packer body.

Threaded onto the lower end'of the section Ia by coarse, left hand, threads Il there is a tubular expander bodly 5 whosel uppervend is formed; with an annular, wedge shaped upwardly directedexpander 6 which is spacedoutwardly 'from the packer body. A

Around the upper end'of the body sectionI-a`nd threaded onto a reduced' externally threaded neck of the coupling 3 there is a tubular cage. It should be hereA noted that the threadsconnecting said cage and the coupling '3* are coa-rse right hand threads which may be` readily unfscrewed. The cage'l is' provided with vertically extended external sockets 8 to receive the friction blocks 9. These friction blocksare seated on coil springsl I0 which hold thelblocksoutwardly in frictional contact with the outside casing, as shown in Figure 2.

Fitted into the lower end ofthe cage T and suitably swivelled thereon by a pin and slotconnection there is a slip supporting ring II and depending from this ring there are the Wedge shaped slips I 2 which are suspended from the ring II by the links I3 pivoted at their upper ends to the ring II and at their lowerv ends-to the corresponding slips I.

Around the inner section -I of the packer body there is a locking ring I4 which works between said section vI and the tubular cage 1. It is located between an upper inside annular shoulder I5 of the valve cageA and an external annular shoulder I6 of the inner section I so as to limit the relative longitudinal movement of these parts. This locking ring is best shown iniits lockingl position in Figure 6. Y

There is a tubular slip expander indicated generally by the numeral I'I and which is tted around the outer section I a'of the packer 'body and whose external surface is upwardlyA tapered and with which the slips I2 have sliding dovetailed connections, as I8.

The slips I2 are prevented from detachment from the expander by means' of pins I 9 which are '-,thread'ed into the expander and whose outer ends are engageable with lower inside shoulders at the lower ends of the slips I2. The inner ends of the pins I9 are reduced in diameter and extend inwardly into vertical grooves I9a in the external surface of the outer body section Ia, so that these inner reduced ends may be sheared 01T to permit the tubular section la to be rotated relative to the packer and slips in the event that the packer assembly should become stuck in the well.

The external surface of the slips are provided with teeth which are pitched upwardly and outwardly and upon downward movement of the slips relative to the expander said slips will be expanded into engagement with the outer casing, as shown in Figure 2.

There is a packer supporting ring 2| of cage like construction and whose upper end is screwed into the lower end of the expander Beneath the supporting ring 2| there is a resilient sleeve like packer 22 which may be formed of rubber or rubberized material and whose upper end is secured to said ring 2|.

The lower end of the packer 22 is provided with a deep, annular end slot 23 in alignment with the expander 6 and adapted to receive said expander, upon setting of the packer, to expand the lower end of the packer, asshown in Figure 2.

The expander is provided with an inside upwardly directed shoulder 24 and the outer body section la has an external annular shoulder 25 above the shoulder 24 and engageable therewith to interlock the expander with the packer body and to limit its longitudinal movement upwardly relative to said body to prevent separation of these parts.

The packer body is also provided with upper and lower annular seals 26 and 21 between said sections.

Between the upper end of the section Ia and the annular shoulder I6 and surrounding the section there is a relatively strong coil spring 28 which acts as a resilient bumper to relieve the mechanism of shocks during the manipulation of the assembly.

The lower end of the inner body section I is provided with an external longitudinal slot 29 whose upper end is provided with a laterally turned notch 3B. In the present illustration this notch is turned to the left. The outer section la carries a pin 3| which works in said slot and when turned into the notch 30 the inner and outer sections I and 2 will be maintained against longitudinal movement as, for example, when the assembly is being lowered into the well casing, as shown in Figure 1, or while setting the packer, and spring 28 maintains pin 3| seated in notch 30.

The assembly is shown in Figure l as being initially lowered into the well casing with the lower end of the coupling 3 screwed into the upper end of the cage and with the lower end of the packer body screwed into the upper end of the expander body 5 and with the pin 3| seated in the notch 30.

As so assembled the packer assembly may be lowered into the casing I to the desired location without danger of the premature setting of the packer.

When a point is reached where it is desired to set the packer the operating string 2 may be turned to unscrew the lower end of the coupling 3 from the upper end of the `cage This may be done without difficulty because these parts are connected by coarse threads. During this operation the expander body 5 will turn with the packer body I, la. Thereupon the operating string 2 may be pulled upwardly and the friction of the blocks 9 against the casing will hold the cage I and the slips I2 against upward movement but the packer body, whose sections are interlocked by the pin 3|, together with the expander body 5 will move upwardly moving the packer and the expander upwardly thus expanding the slips l2 into engagement with the casing which will arrest the upward movement of the slips and expander and upon further up ward movement of the string 2 the expander 6 will move further upwardly into the slot 23 and will very eiectively expand the packer so as to form a fluid tight seal between the packer and casing as well as the packer and the surrounded packer body.

The expander body 5 also forms a coupling providing for the connection of well equipment beneath to the packer assembly.

Should it be desired to remove the packer from the well the operating string 2 may be turned to unseat the pin 3| from the notch 30 and then pulled upwardly into the position indicated in Figure 3 thus elevating the slips I2 relative to the slip expander so as to release the slips from the outer well casing and upon further upward movement the pin 3| will be engaged by the lower end of the slot 29 and the entire packer together with the equipment beneath may be withdrawn from the well.

Should the packer assembly become stuck in the well bore so that it cannot be removed, the operating string 2 may be turned to the right, or in a clockwise direction so as to shear the pins |9 and unscrew the lower end of the outer section la of the packer body from the expander body 5, as illustrated in Figure 6, thus detaching the packer body from the expander body 5 and with the reducing coupling 3' disengaged, or unscrewed, from the upper end of the cage l and with the pin 3| unseated from the notch 30, as indicated in Figure 6, the operating string 2 and packer body may be pulled upwardly shearing the shoulder, or rib, I5 and the operating string 2 and the body Ia may be withdrawn from the well thus leaving the stuck equipment in the well to be later drilled out.

The inner ends of the pins I9 project into the vertical grooves |90, of the body section Ia, as hereinabove stated, and this prevents the packer body from turning independent of the slips |2 and the slip expander |1 on which said slips are mounted.

The complete assembly may be reversed in position in the well with the friction blocks 9 beneath the packer 22 and the equipment will operate equally as well. When so reversed the parts will be connected as shown in Figure 1 but in reverse position. When a point has been reached where it is desired to set the packer. the operating string, which is then connected to the expander body 5, may be lowered. These slips l2 will be held against downward movement by the friction blocks 9. The operating strlng and the body I, Ia may then be turned to the right to detach the coupling 3 from the cage I and the slip expander I1 will move downwardly and expand the slips into engagement with the well casing and hold the packer I9 against further downward movement while the expander body 5 moves on downwardly and the expander 6 will enter the annular slot 23 and this expander 8 will-'eilectively expand the upper end of the packer ZZandthe-weight ofthe string above will -further expand said packer to make arf-.effective offtheinvention will 5be defined rby the appended claims.

-W-hat I claim is: 1..A .packer assembly for wells comprising a `packer body, said. .body having inner and outer tubularsections telescopically arranged, means connecting one .of said sections to an ,operating stringabove said assembly, .one of said sections having a longitudinal slot .provided with .a `laterallyextending notch, a pin on the other of said sections extending into said slot vand movable into .said notch iupon relative rotation of the sections in one direction to hold the sections against relative-longitudinal movement, said pin being movable out of said notch `upon relative rotation of the sections in the other direction to permitrelative longitudinal movement of the sections, an expansible packer around the body, a slip expander around the body on the packer, expansible casing-engaging'slips around the expander, means slideable on the body and frictionally engagea-ble with the casing to resist rotation thereof when the packer bodyis rotated and from-which the slips are suspendedfmeans initially connecting the friction means with the tubular section connected to the operating string above the assembly and releasable upon rotation of the body relative to the friction means to allow the body and expander to move upwardly relative to the slips to expand the slips into engagement with the casing, and connector means releasably connected to said other of said sections and connected to the well equipment below said assembly, said connector means being engageable with the lower end of the packer upon further upward movement of the body, to expand the packer.

2. A packer assembly for wells comprising, a packer body, said body having inner and outer tubular sections telescopically arranged, means connecting one of said sections to an operating string above the assembly, said inner section having an external longitudinal slot and a lateral notch opening into said slot, a pin on the outer section extending into said slot and movable in the slot upon longitudinal movement of the sections relative to each other, said pin being movable into and out of said notch by rotation of the sections relative to each other and being engageable in said notch to hold the sections against such relative longitudinal movement, an expansible packer around the body, a slip expander around the body on the packer, expansible casing engaging slips around the expander, means slidable on the body and engageable, by friction, with the casing to resist rotation thereof when the packer body is rotated and from which the slips are suspended, means initially connecting the friction means with the tubular section connected to the operating string above the assembly and releasable upon rotation of the body relative to the friction means to allow the body and expander to move upwardly relative to the slips to expand the slips into engagement with the casing and connector means releasably connected to the other of said sections and connected to well equipment below said assembly, said conhector-'means .being --.engageable :with the; lower .end .ofthe packer, upon further upward mintement .of the body, vto expand vthe packer.

3. A packer assembly *for wells comprising, a packer body, said bodyihaving inner andouter tubularsections telescopically arranged, means `connectingoneof saidgsectionsto Van operating string above. the assembly, inter-engaging means `on said sections relatively movable upon rotation :of the `sections .relativev .to .each other into and :out of fa posi-tion holding thesections against; longivtudinal--movementrelative to each other, anexpansible packer around the body, a slip expander around :the body on the packer, expansible casing-engaging slips above the expander, friction means with thev body. and releasable yupon rotation of the body relative Yto the friction rmeans to allow the body and expander to vmove upward' 'lyrelative to the .slips .to expand .the slips into engagementwith the casing, connector means Ereleasably connected .to the other of. said sec"- tionsand connected to well equipment below said assembly, said. connector means being. engagea-ble with the lovver .end of the packer 4and adapted to expandthe packer upon further up.-

ward movement ofthe body.

4. A Apacker assembly for `wells comprising, a packer body, said. body having inner and outer Atubular .sections telescopically arranged'means connecting one of said sections to an operating stringr above the assembly, inter-engaging means on the sections coacting to limit longitudinal movement of the sections relatively to each other and movable upon relative rotation between the sections into and out of a position holding the sections against such relative longitudinal movement, an expansible packer around the body, an upwardly tapering slip expander around the body on the packer, expansible casing-engaging slips around the expander, means engageable by friction with the casing to resist rotation thereof when the packer body is rotated and from which the slips are suspended, releasable means initially connecting the friction means with the body and releasable upon rotation of the body relative to the friction means, said body and expander being movable upwardly relative to the slips upon release of said friction means from the body to expand the slips into engagement with the casing, and connector means releasably connected to the other of said sections, and connected to well equipment below said assembly, said connector means being engageable with the lower end of the packer, upon further upward movement of the body, to expand the packer, said body being rotatable relative to said connector means when the packer is expanded, to release the body from the assembly.

5. A packer assembly for wells comprising, a packer body, said body having inner and outer tubular sections telescopically arranged, means connecting one of said sections to an operating string above the assembly, inter-engaging means on the sections coacting to limit longitudinal movement of the sections relatively to each other and movable upon relative rotation between the sections into and out of a position holding the sections against such relative longitudinal movement, an expansible packer around the body, a slip expander around the body on the packer, expansible casing engaging slips around the expanden means engageable, by friction, with the casing to resist rotation thereof when the packer body is rotated and from which the slips are suspended, means initially connecting the friction means with the body and releasable upon rotation of the body relative to the friction means, said body and expander being movable upwardly relative to the slips upon release of the friction means from the body to expand the slips into engagement with the casing, connector means releasably connected to the other of said sections, and connected to well equipment below said assembly, said connector means being engageable with the lower end of the packer, upon further upward movement of the body, to expand .the packer and interconnecting means on the body and the friction means whereby said friction means and slips may be elevated relative to the expander to release the slips from the casing.

6. A packer assembly for wells comprising, a packer body, said body having inner` and outer sections telescopically arranged, means connecting one of said sections to an operating string above the assembly, inter-engaging means on -the sections coacting to limit longitudinal movement of the sections relatively to each other and movable upon relative rotation between the sections into and out of a position holding the sections against such relative longitudinal movement, an expansible packer around the body,- an upwardly tapering slip expander around the body on the packer, expansible casing engaging slips around the expander, means engageable by friction with the casing to resist rotation thereof when the packer body is rotated and from which the slips are suspended, releasable means initially connecting the friction means with the body and releasable upon rotation of the body relative to the friction means, said body and expander being movable upwardly relative to the slips upon release of the friction means from the body to expand the slips into engagement with the casing, connector means releasably connected to the other of said sections, and connected to well equipment below said assembly, said connector means being engageable with the lower end of the packer, upon further upward movement of the body, to expand the packer, said body being rotatable relative to said connector means when said packer is expanded, to release the body from the connector means and Well equipment below the assembly.

NEIL T. BREAUX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,262,107 Sheasley Apr. 9, 1918 2,248,211 Young July 8, 1941 2,300,438 Spang Nov. 3, 1942 2,305,062 Church et al Dec. 15, 1942 2,368,399 Baker June 30, 1945 

